The Palestinian Telecommunications Company (Paltel) announced on Wednesday that fixed internet and landline services in the Gaza Strip and North Gaza Governorates have been disrupted as a result of the Israeli military offensive that has continued for seven days since October 7, 2023.
In a press statement, Paltel explained that the outage was caused by the targeting of key infrastructure routes supplying the area. The company added that its teams are working around the clock to restore services despite the severe risks on the ground.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor had earlier warned of an “imminent danger” of a complete collapse of Gaza’s telecommunications and internet networks, citing deliberate attacks on residential towers and the growing threat of power station shutdowns due to fuel shortages. The organization said such measures form part of a systematic Israeli policy aimed at severing Gaza’s lifeline.
The Monitor also reported that over the past 23 months, the Israeli army had cut off Gaza’s communications and internet services more than 12 times, severely affecting humanitarian response efforts. Since the latest escalation began on October 7, multiple outages have been recorded across Gaza due to heavy bombardments and fuel depletion affecting power generators.
